Exhaust box conveyer



Nov. 18, 1941. F, HUBER- EXHAUST BOX GONVEYER a Sheet-Sheet 1 Filed 001:. l, 1940 I IIILEII Ill: EiI III: 5 n :l:

F. HUBER EXHAUST BOX CONVEYER Nov. 18, 1941.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1, 1940 2 Fr arz/w Hake?" Patented Nov. 18, 1941 EXHAUST BOX ooNvEYER Frank Huber, Gaston, Ind., assignor to Indiana Foundry, Machine & Supply Company, Brazil,

Ind.

Application October 1, 1940, Serial No.; 359,291.

8 Claims.

-This invention relates to exhaust boxes for exhausting air from cans containing canned goods and preheating the goods in the cans.

I Anrobject of this invention is to provide in an exhaust box, a single endless conveyer for moving thercans through the box.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which is strong, durable, and economical of construction and operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which can easily and quickly be adapted to different sizes of cans.

Astill further object of this invention is to provide in combination with an endless conveyer in the form of a chain, means whereby the crimped lower edges of the cans are released from the chain at the point where the cans are transferred from one guide trough to a second or return trough, in order that the cans will not bedamaged and will not crowd up at the adjacent ends of the troughs.

L A further object of this invention is to provide an improved sprocket structure for use with a chain conveyer which is formed on 7 one side thereof with acan releasing and shifting means which is so constructed as to lift the crimped lower edge of the can out from between a pair of chainlinks so that the lower edge of the can will not become pinched between the links, the can being transferred from one trough to another by the lifting means.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind, an improved chain tensioning means for holding the conveyer chain taut.

A further object of this invention is to provide a frangible coupler in the conveyer driving means so that in the event undue strain is applied to the conveyor, the chain and other parts will not'be damaged.

.-.T- the foregoing objects and to others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to whichflfallwithin the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a detail side elevation partly broken away and in section of an exhaust box constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the 11ne2- 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail endelevation of one end of the device. I f

Figure 4 is a sectional view'taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. 1

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through one ofthe elongated troughs.

Figure .6 is a plan view of one of the sprockets used with the conveyor chain.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a connecting trough and a sprocket.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section looking from above of a pair of connected troughs showing the removable side members for the .troughs to accommodate smaller sized cans.

Figure 10 is a sectional View taken on the line ||l |0 of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l5 designates generally a box or housing structure including a top wall. I6, side walls I! and I8 and end walls I9 and 20. A plurality of clean-out doors 2| are hingedly secured as at 22 to the side wall |8 and are locked in-closed horizontal position by means of latches 23. The top wall I6 is provided with a plurality of openings 24 and a cover. 25 having a handle 26 adapted to enclose the opening 24. The housing l5 at each end thereof is formed with hoods 21 and 28 which communicate with the interior of the housing 15 and provide a means for carrying off steam or the like which maybe discharged into the interior of the housing 5.

The'housing I5 is supported by means of a supporting frame structure generally designated as 29. vThe'frame structure 29 includes a pair of base parallel angle members 30 which have secured thereto a plurality of upright standards or legs 3|. The legs 3| are formed of angle members and lower ends of the legs3l are adapted to be fixed to the base members 30 by any suitable fastening means such as rivets or welding. A pair of upper side rails or angle bars 32 are fixed to, the upper ends of the uprights or legs 3| and the side rails 32 are adapted to be fixed to the sides l'l and I8 of the housing l5 by any suitable fastening means.

One side rail 32* is adapted to be extended to a greater length than the opposite side rail 32 and in like manner, one base rail 3|! is of greater length than the opposite base rail 30 and the ends of the long rails 30 and 32 are connected together by an upright or leg 3| An upwardly opening can guiding trough structure generally designated as 33 is disposed within the housing l5, being supported in the housing I5 above the bottom clean-out doors 2| by means of a plurality of transversely extending supporting bars 34 which at their opposite ends are formed with depending angle members 35 which are adapted to be fixed to the side walls I! and I8. The trough structure 33 comprises These trough members 36, 31 and 38" are of like construction being shown in greater detail in Figures and 7. v

Each trough member comprises a pair of Vertical or upright side walls 39 which are secured at their lower ends to the outer edges of a flat bottom wall 48 formed of a pair of spaced inner edgewise aligned sections. A substantially U- shaped chain guiding channel 4| is secured to and extends downwardly from the inner edges of the sections of the bottom wall 48 and communicates atits upper end. with the interior of the trough. The bight or bottom 42 of the channel 4| rests on the transverse supporting: members 34 and may be fixed thereto by any suitable fastening means. 7

The inner endof the intake trough 36 is connected to the adjacent end of the intermediate trough 31' by an arcuate connecting trough latter depends below the bottom of wall 44?).

Each arcuate connecting trough includes a bottom wall 440 which is integral with and extends inwardly from the lower end of the wall 44a. The wall 44a in transverse cross section has its length slightly less than the width of a trough 43 or 44. The construction of the connecting trough as aforesaid forms the trough with a clearance at the lower portion of the inner side for the passage of a sprocket member to be referred to. The inner side edge of the bottom wall 440, of a trough 43 or 44, merges into the upper end of the vertical leg. of a depending L- shaped chain guide 44d. The bottom wall .of each trough constitutes a can guiding surface over which the lower crimped edge 45 of a can C is adapted to slide.

The side walls of a trough are spaced apart a distance sufficient so that the sides of the can C' will freely move therebetween without scratching or marring the finish on. the exterior of the can.

The end wall l9 is formed with. an intake opening 46 and the intake trough 36 is adapted to extend through the opening 46 and is continued for the length of a supporting rail 32 as shown at 36 An'outer chain guiding channel 4T is disposed exteriorly of the side wall 46 and is extended as at 4'1 for the length of the rail extension 32 The chain guiding channel 41 is adapted to slidingly receive one run of an endless conveyer chain generally designated as 48.- The conveyer chain 48 is adapted to engage in the several chain guides 41 of each trough 36, 31 and 38 and of the connecting troughs 43 and 44 and is also adapted to slidingly engage in the return. guiding channel 41.

The chain conveyer 48 as shown more specifically in Figure 8 is formed of pairs of overlapping links 49 and 58 which are connected to pins 5|. A roller 52 is positioned about each pin 5| and loosely engages between the inner pair of links 50. The links 49 are outer pairs of links which overlap the adjacent ends of the inner pairs of links 503 The links 49 on the upper side of the chain 48 comprise can moving links and each adjacent pair of links is spaced apart a distance sufiicient to form a space 53 in which the crimped lower edge 45 of each can C is adapted to engage.

The links herein shown may be spaced apart sufficiently so that the diameter of the can will extend over substantially two uppermost adjacent pairs of links. 49, but if desired the links 49 and 50 may be longer or shorter than herein shown so that the crimped edge 45 of the can will extend over one or more of the: links 49.. -A driving. sprocket member 54 is secured to the upper end of a vertically disposed drive shaft 55 which is journalled through a table 55% The shaft 55 includes an upper shaft 58 and a lower axially aligned shaft 51; These two shafts 56 and 51 are coupled together by means of a pair of flanged coupling members 58- and 59, respectively.

Preferably the shaft 56 extends downwardly below the coupling member'58 into a bore. 68 carried by the lower coupling member 59. A shear pin 6| extends through the two flanges of the coupling members 58 and 59 at one side of the axial center thereof so that in the event undue strain is applied to the conveyer chain '48, the pin 6| will shear ofi and thus prevent damage to the chain 48 or to any cans which may be passing through. the several troughs.

The lower end of the lower shaft 51' has a bevelled gear 62 fixed thereto which meshes with a gear 63 carried by a counter-shaft 64. The counter-shaft 64 is journalled between a pair of upright legs 3| and a relatively large spur gear 65- is fixed to the counter-shaft 64. The gear 65 meshes with a driving gear 66 which is mounted on a drive shaft 61. The drive shaft 61 is journalled between a pair of leg members 3| and a slidable clutch element 68 is splined on the drive shaft 61. A second clutch element 69 is loosely mounted on the shaft 61 and includes a pulley 10 about which a belt or other driving element 11 is adapted to engage.

The belt 1| may be connected to a suitable power supply (not shown). The clutch element 68 is adapted to be shifted to a clutching or unclutching position by a conventional clutch shifting means (not shown) and of well known construction.

An idler sprocket 12 is rotatably carried by a stub shaft 13 which is fixed in an upright position toa supporting arm 14. The arm 14 is pivotally carried by a pivot member 15 which may be fixed to the platform or table 56. A spring 16 is fixed at one end to a pin 11 which may be fixed to the inner end of the supporting arm 14 and the opposite end of the spring 16 may be secured to a fixed pin 18. The spring 16' is adapted to yieldingly hold the sprocket 12 in engagement with the chain 48 and provides a means for yieldably holding the chain 48 taut. After passing the idler sprocket 12, the chain passes over an idler sprocket 19 rotatably carried by a shaft which is fixed to the table or plat-'- form 56 adjacent the return trough 41. The chain 48 then slidably engages the trough 41 and at the extreme end of the trough 41 is trained about an idler sprocket 8| which is rotatably' carried by a shaft 82 fixed to the rail 32.

The cans are adapted to be inserted inthe trough extension 36 by any suitable means and the cans are "then'moved through the intake opening 46. The intake run 83 of the chain 48 which slidinglyengages in the chain guide formed on the trough 36 moves the can along the trough 36 for the entire length of this trough. At the inner end of the trough 36, where this trough is connected to the arcuate trough 43, the intake run 83 of the chain 48 is trained about a sprocket member 84 which is extended into the clearanceon the lower portion of the inner side of the trough 39. The sprocket member 84 is constructed similar to the sprocket shown in Figures 6 and '7 and includes a plate 85 formed with sprocket teeth 86 on its periphery, and preferably formed integral with the plate 85 is' a plate 81 which is formed with a bevelled peripheral edge 88 having the greatest diameter thereof substantially less than the diameter of the plate 85 at the base or inner ends of the sprocket teeth 86. This bevelled edge 88 forms a can releasing means as shown in Figure '1, the crimped lower edge 45 of the can C riding upwardly over the bevelled edge 85 so as torelease the can C from the chain structure.

The plate-81 also comprises a means for shifting the can about the arcuate connecting trough 43 to a point where this trough 43 connects and merges with the adjacent end of the trough 31. After the can rides downwardly off of the plate 81, the crimped lower edge 45 again extends between a pair of adjacent links 49 and is thus carried longitudinally of the intermediate trough 31, A second inner sprocket member 89 engages the intermediate run 98 of the chain. The sprocket 89 is of a construction similar to that shown in Figure '1 and it is arranged relative to trough 44in the same manner as the sprocket 84 is arranged relative to trough 43 whereby when the can enters the arcuate connecting trough 44, the. can is released from between a pair of links 49 and is carried about the connecting trough 44 until the can enters the adjacent end of the outlet trough 38. The sprocket member 54 may be constructed similar to the sprocket structure shown in Figure '1 so that when the can arrives at the sprocket 54, the can is released from the conveyer 48 and may be removed from the extended trough structure 38 The trough structure 38 extends through an outlet opening 9I which is formed in the end wall 28. The two hoods 21 and 28 are positioned over the end walls I9 and 28 so as to withdrawany steam or fumes from the interior of the housing I5. The hoods 21 and 28 will prevent any steam or fumes from passing through the openings 46 and 9| in the end walls I9 and 28. In order to provide a means whereby the interior of the housing may be properly heated so as to exhaust the air in the cans C as the cans move along the several runs of the'conveyer, I have provided a pair of heating coils 92 and 93 which may be connected together by a connecting pipe 94. The pipe 94 may be extended as at 95 through the top wall I6 of the housing I and may be connected to a'suitable source of steam supply. The steam coils 92 and 93 are supported between the troughs 36, 31 and 38 by means of upright coil supporting brackets 96, and 91, respectively.

The brackets 96 and 91 are formed with upwardly opening notches or slots 98 and 99 respectively forming saddles to receive the coils 92 and 93. The coil supporting members 96 and 91 may be formed with right angular base membars I88 and IN, respectively, which may be fixed by any'suitable fastening means to the transverse supporting bars 34.

In order to provide a means whereby smaller sized cans may be moved through the exhaust box I 5, I have provided pairs of straight side wall members I82 and I83 which are adapted to be supported in inwardly spaced relation to the spaced sides of the troughs 36, 31 and 38, being supported in inwardly spaced relation to the side walls 39 of these troughs by means of U-shaped clips I84. The clips I84 removably engage over the upper edges of the side walls 39 and each clip I84 has formed therewith a substantially L- shaped supporting member I85 which is adapted to be fixed as by fastening members I86 to the side Wall members I82. The side wall members I83 are held in inwardly spaced relation from r the adjacent side wall 39 by clips I84 which are secured to the auxiliary trough wall I83 by L-shaped supporting members I81.

The lower edges of the auxiliary side walls I82 and I83 are adapted to rest on the bottom walls 48 of the several troughs. At the ends of the troughs 36, 31 and 38, inner and outer U- shaped auxiliary walls I88 and I89, respectively, are secured to the adjacent side walls of the respective troughs by means of clips H8 and I I I which are similar in every detail to the clips I84 and I84 I In the use and operation of this exhaust box, the cans are adapted to be inserted in the trough extension 36 The cans preferably being open at their upper ends so that the air may freely be discharged therefrom' and the cans are also filled with the desiredmaterial. As the cans move along the intake trough 39, they-are subjected to the heat'emanating from the coils92 and 93 and when the cans reach the idler sprocket 84 they are lifted to a released position from the chain 48 by means of the can releasing plate 81. Each can is then carried around the arcuate trough 43 by frictional contact with the plate 81 and then delivered to the adjacent end of the intermediate run 98 of the chain 48. r

The cans then drop ofi of the plate 81 and the crimped lower edge 45 of each can engages between selected pairs of upper links 49. The same releasing operation is effected by means of the sprocket member 89' as the can passes through the intermediate trough 44 and enters the adjacent end of the outlet trough 38. The can finally passes through the outletopening 9| and is completely released from the conveyer 48 by means of the releasing and driving sprocket 54. The housing I5fby being formed with a plurality of removable lids or covers 25 may be readily examined or cleaned out from above and by providing the lower doors 2|, the lower bottom of the housing I5 may be easily and quickly cleaned and the moving parts thereof oiled.

By constructing an exhaust box with a single endless conveyer chain 48 which is disposed in edgewise position in the chain guiding troughs or channels 4| and 41, the chain can be moved by a relatively small powered power member and also by providing the can releasing sprocket plates 81, the cans are released from the sprockets at th'e bend s of the chain so that each can will not be damaged by the links of the chain and in addition the chain will not -'be damaged due to the release of the cans from the chain at the points wherethe adjacent ends of the troughs are connected together. I

An exhaust box has been constructed according to this invention andhas been found to give more satisfactory results than exhaust boxes at present available and in addition the exhaust box can be constructed and maintained in operating condition at a smaller cost than the exhaust boxes at present available.

What I claim is:

1'. An exhaust box comprising a housing, an intake trough extending lengthwise of said housing, an outlet trough parallel with said intake trough, an intermediate trough communicating at one end with said intake trough and at its opposite end with said outlet trough, an endless chain conveyer common to said troughs, channel-shaped guide means depending from the bottom of and opening into each trough for movably supporting said conveyer with certain of the links of one side thereof extending partly above the bottoms of said troughs whereby the crimped lower edge of a can may engage between certain pairs of links, and means at each end of said intermediate trough and operated by the conveyer for raising the crimped edge of a can out of engagement with said conveyer while simultaneously shifting the can from one trough to another trough to be subsequently engaged by the conveyer.

2. An exhaust box comprising a housing, a plurality of connected troughs in said housing, a guide channel carried by each trough lengthwise thereof projecting downwardly thereof and opening into the trough, an endless conveyer chain movably engaging in said channels, said chain common to said troughs and being disposed with the links of one side thereof uppermost and certain of said uppermost links projecting above the bottoms of said troughs whereby the lower crimped edges of cans may engage between pairs of said certain links, and means operated from the conveyer and disposed at the point of connection of one trough with another trough for initially raising a can above said conveyer to release the can from between said links and for shifting the can from one trough to another and finally lowering the can to said conveyer to be engaged by the latter.

3. An exhaust box comprising a housing, a plurality of connected troughs in said housing, a guide channel carried by each trough lengthwise thereof and projecting downwardly thereof, an endless conveyer chain movably engaging in said channels, said chain common to said troughs and being disposed with the links of one side thereof uppermost and certain of said uppermost links projecting above the bottoms of said troughs whereby the lower crimped edges of cans may engage between pairs of said certain links, and means operated from the conveyer disposed at the point of connection of one trough with another trough for initially raising a can above said conveyer to be engaged by the latter to release the can from between said links and for shifting the can from one trough to another and finally lowering the can to said conveyer, said means including a sprocket and an upwardly offset part carried by said sprocket inwardly of the teeth thereof.

4. In an exhaust box, an endless chain conveyer for shifting cans relative to said box, and sprockets engaging said chain within said box, each sprocket including an upwardly offset part inwardly of the teeth thereof for engagement with the lower edge of a can whereby to lift the lower edge of the can out of engagement with the cha 5. ,An exhaust box comprising a housing, an intake trough extending therein, an outlet trough arranged in the housing and extended there. from, an intermediate trough, within the housing and disposed between said other troughs, an arcuate trough connecting the inner end of the intake'to one end of the intermediate. trough, a second arcuate trough connecting the other end of the intermediate trough to the inner end of the outlet trough, said troughs throughout having their bottoms provided with depending chain guides, one guide forming a continuation of the other, an endless chain conveyer common to said troughs and guides traveling in and supported by said guides and having a portion thereof extending into the troughs through the bottoms of the troughs, said conveyer having that portion extended into the troughs formed with spaced means whereby the crimped lower edge of a can is engaged to thereby provide for the conveying of the can in the intake, outlet and intermediate troughs, idler sprockets arranged below the arcuate troughs and engageable with and operated from the conveyer, and means bodily carried by said idler sprockets and engaging with the can for releasing it from the conveyer and for transfering the can to be engaged by the conveyer within a follower trough. I 6.. An exhaust box comprising a housing, an intake trough extending therein, an outlet trough arranged in the housing and extended therefrom, an intermediate trough within the housing and disposed between said other troughs, an arcuate trough connecting the inner end of the intake to one end of the intermediate trough, a second arcuate trough connecting the other end of the intermediate trough to the inner end of the outlet trough, said troughs throughout having their bottoms provided with depending chain guides, onev guide forming a continuation of the other, an endless chain conveyer common to said troughs and guides traveling in and supported by said guides and having a portion thereof extending into the troughs through the bottoms of the troughsysaid conveyer having that portion extended into the troughs formed with spaced means whereby the crimped lower edge of a can is engaged to thereby provide for the conveying of the can in the intake, outlet and intermediate troughs, idler sprockets arranged below the arcuate troughs and engageable with and operated from the conveyer, and a bevelled edge plate carried by each idler sprocket and having its edge engageable with the can for releasing it from the conveyer and for transfering the can to be engaged by the conveyer within a follower trough.

7. The invention as set forth by claim 5 having the chain guides depending from the intake, intermediate and outlet troughs of U-shape contour in transverse cross Section, and the chain guides depending from the arcuate connecting troughs of L-shape contour in transverse cross section.

8. The invention as set forth by claim 6 having the chain guides depending from the intake, intermediate and outlet troughs of U-shape contour in transverse cross section and the chain guides depending from the arcuate connecting troughs of L-shape contour in transverse cross section.

I FRANK HUBER. 

